


you should be with him, i can't compete

by florences



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Mild Angst, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-28 02:57:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20771390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/florences/pseuds/florences
Summary: dimitri experiences heartbreak, pettiness and true love for the first time.





	you should be with him, i can't compete

**Author's Note:**

> » i was listening to slow dancing in the dark and the ‘you should be with him, i can't compete’ line got me GUD.

“Excuse me, professor?” Dimitri approaches Byleth at her desk as soon as she has dismissed the class. “Do you have a moment?”

“Ah yes, Dimitri, what can I do for you?” Byleth replies as she organises the scattered notes in front of her. She then looks up at him when he takes too long to respond and the world around him stops spinning. He feels his heart race as he struggles to swallow the large lump of saliva that has begun forming at the back of his throat. He recalls that, as of late, he feels like this quite often and it has since been escalating from the day that Byleth started as a professor at the Officers Academy.

"I was, uh,” he clears his throat, “hoping to have a discussion with you about the defence tactics we covered in last week’s lecture. I’m not quite sure that I have grasped the solution from page two of—“

“I’m sorry Dimitri. I’m going to have to cut you off right there.”

Dimitri’s confidence evaporates.

“I know this discussion will be a lengthy one and truthfully, I skipped my morning meal and have been very eager to eat since waking up.” she pauses and Dimitri concludes that his blood has gone ice cold. “But, would you care to join me? We could discuss the defence tactics over a meal. Or maybe some tea afterwards? I do believe you mentioned that chamomile is your favourite.” Byleth gives him a warm smile and Dimitri decides that she is the sun itself. He also comes to the conclusion that his blood isn’t cold and is definitely running hot as he feels it rush straight to his cheeks.

“Of c-course professor! That would be lovely.”

* * *

The two make their way to the dining hall and queue up to receive meals. The hall is a little busier than usual — probably due to the fact that the special of the day seems to be a favourite meal of nearly everyone at the monastery. Byleth guides Dimitri to the end of a table towards the back of the hall and the two take a seat facing each other. Unfortunately for Dimitri, there happened to be a special someone nearby who was about to ruin his day.

“Professor!” Sylvain slides in next to Byleth with a plate of potato gratin. “How’s it going?” he gives her a smirk. Ever since Byleth started teaching at the academy, Sylvain had been harmlessly flirting with her. He knew it would have no effect on the professor but (as he liked to describe it to others) he enjoyed practicing his one-liners on her.

“Oh hello Sylvain.” Byleth stares back at Sylvain blankly, “Dimitri and I were just going to discuss last week’s lecture. Care to join us?”

Dimitri’s brain goes into overdrive. Though he doesn’t mind spending time with Sylvain, he feels defeated that he wouldn’t be able to spend time alone with the professor as he had hoped.

“Oh, a little defence tactics talk. You know me, professor — I love tearing down some defences. Though I haven’t been able to tear down your defences.” Sylvain gives her a lighthearted wink and Dimitri, sitting awkwardly on the other side of the table, can do nothing but watch the scene before him unfold.

“Actually Sylvain, I did want to talk to you about that.” Byleth began, now turning fully to face him, "I have already given you two warnings about harassing female students and I have since received a new complaint. My disappointment continues. Please do not put me in this precarious position again.”

“Harassing? Don’t you think that’s a little harsh professor.” Sylvain laughs, placing a hand on her shoulder and Dimitri nearly breaks the fork in his hand right then and there. “_Curse Sylvain and his smooth moves,” _Dimitri thinks, _“I can’t compete.”_

Dimitri finally plucks up the courage to chime in, “Indeed, Sylvain. I have also been approached about your behaviour and I would recommend that you learn how to moderate your overbearing feelings.”

“Your princeliness, when are you going to learn that it’s finally time for you to go out there and let yourself experience some real feelings for someone.”

Sylvain’s remark takes Dimitri by surprise. “I d-do… feel…” Dimitri blushes for the umpteenth time that day.

“Oh? Someone has caught your eye then?” Sylvain inquires. Byleth also turns back to fully face Dimitri now and he wants to flip his plate of food over and run away screaming.

“I did not say that specifically. Don’t twist my words Sylvain.” he pathetically defends himself.

“Alright, alright. Relax. You’re redder than this girl’s lipstick I found near the dormitories.” Sylvain takes the lipstick out of his uniform pocket to prove his point. “Speaking of this lipstick, I’m going to go and find the rightful owner.” he shoves it back into his pocket, quickly gobbles up the remainder of his potato gratin and is on his way. Dimitri breathes a sigh of relief as soon as he is alone with the professor again. The two discuss defence tactics for three hours and Dimitri feels that everything in the world is right again.

* * *

Dimitri takes a stroll later that night. He feels more giddy than usual and he thinks he might be in love. Surely it’s love, right? Around the professor, his palms are always sweaty, his heartbeat races twice its usual pace and he seems to be at loss for words more often. But it seems a little scandalous to be crushing on his very own professor. He thinks that maybe he’ll tell her after graduation.

As Dimitri nears the training grounds, he spots two figures in the distance. Even in the dark, he can make out who the figures are. It’s the professor with… Sylvain… and Dimitri stops dead in his tracks. He doesn’t know what to do in this kind of situation. Should he walk past them and _not_ acknowledge them? Should he walk past and _briefly_ acknowledge them? Should he outright just join in on their conversation? Though, he can tell by the way that Sylvain is leaning against the wall behind him leisurely and Byleth (with her books clutched tightly against her chest) almost leaning into Sylvain, that their conversation looks deeply personal. There is something about the way that Byleth looks at Sylvain that has the sky falling down on him. Dimitri wants to cry and then he wants to knock himself out for being so emotional about something he’s only observing and making assumptions on. He thinks he’s being ridiculous and he settles on turning around and walking back the way that he came from.

Dimitri gives Sylvain the cold shoulder for a week after that.

* * *

“Dimitri! Wait up!” Sylvain is out of breath by the time he reaches Dimitri who was just power-walking away from him (and who has also been avoiding him for over a week now). Sylvain extends his hand, grabbing Dimitri by his shoulder and Dimitri almost wants to grab him in return and toss him into a nearby bush. “Hey man, what’s wrong? And don’t tell me there’s nothing wrong because I’ve known you for so long now and I definitely know something is up.” Sylvain says quickly so Dimitri hears all of it just in case he makes a run for his life again.

“Nothing is—“ Dimitri starts.

“Don’t lie.” Sylvain interrupts.

Dimitri bites his bottom lip and his usual composure begins to crumble. Instead of confronting Sylvain head on, he decides to beat around the bush.

“Have you ever liked someone who ends up liking someone else?” Goddess, he sounds like one of those students who enjoys spending time talking about their love interests with their friends. He’s rehearsed this conversation once (or maybe a few times) in his head right before he slept a few nights ago but it’s so strange to him to be talking about such matters with Sylvain.

“I mean yeah. I’ve been in all kinds of romantic situations.” Sylvain shrugs. “So who’s troubling you?”

Dimitri stares right at Sylvain. “This has to stay between us.”

“Cross my heart and hope to die. I promise I won’t tell anyone.” Sylvain holds his hand over his heart. It’s quite dramatic but Dimitri knows he can trust him.

“I saw you and the professor talking outside the training grounds at night last week.” he tries not to stutter, “There is something about you Sylvain. I just cannot seem to get her to look at me the way she looks at you.”

“Me? And the professor?” Sylvain’s eyes widen in shock and then he realises that Dimitri’s angsty love interest is their professor. “God no. That’s definitely a misunderstanding. She was just telling me off again that night that you said you saw us.”

“I mean sure, I think the professor is a lovely lady,” Sylvain continues, smirking and Dimitri wants to roll his eyes all the way back into his head so he doesn’t have to see that smirk again.

“Hey man, I can’t force you to be confident in your feelings but you never know what might happen unless you take that leap forward."

Dimitri thinks of the day that he might tell Byleth.

* * *

“Do you like Sylvain?” Dimitri blurts out randomly whilst having tea with Byleth. She has just finished pouring him some of his favourite (chamomile) tea.

“_Like_? _Sylvain_? What are you on about Dimitri?” Byleth is taken aback that she nearly knocks over her own teacup. “I’m surprised you want to talk about love interests rather than our usual conversations about battle.”

“I just… wanted to ask based on an observation.” Dimitri’s face goes redder than usual and Byleth catches on. She quickly understands what’s going on and gives him a rare and genuine smile. _“Definitely the sun.”_ Dimitri concludes.

“Of course I don’t like Sylvain. I don’t know how you even came to that conclusion to be frank.” and Dimitri thanks the Goddess above.

“Hey, Dimitri…” Byleth starts, “Don’t trouble yourself with these petty things. For what it’s worth, I think you are one of the most incredible students here. You should be very confident in yourself. And I do believe that you are going to make an incredible king one day. Focus on that instead.”

_Ah yes._ Dimitri knows for sure that he’s in love. But he won’t tell her that today.

**Author's Note:**

> » dedicated to my lovely daisy.  
» give us more sylvain/dimitri bonding @ fe3h.  
» should i add more chapters to this? hmm.


End file.
